


Can I Sleep With You

by amuk



Series: Guardians [1]
Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Childhood Friends, Community: 24hour_themes, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 19:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amuk/pseuds/amuk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there is one thing Yuuki knows, it’s that Zero’s pillow is the softest and his bed the comfiest. What it says about Zero she wants to find out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can I Sleep With You

**Author's Note:**

> Theme: 18:00—matters of safety, protection, and completion

Zero opened his eyes slowly, blinking into the darkness. Something had woken him up at this—he turns to look at his antique clock—ungodly hour of one am. Tilting his head to the right, he peered through the dark room and listened carefully. All was silent for a few minutes and then a small sound filtered in. It was there for only a moment, but already he knew who it was. Silver eyes narrowing, his body leapt off his bed in a fluid motion and silently landed on the floor. Taking long strides, the eight-year-old quickly opened his door.

 

With a squeak of surprise, a small figure fell on his chest. Long, smooth fingers grabbed his shirt and a small head rested on him for a moment before looking up. Zero let out a soft sigh before putting his hands on the person’s shoulders and pushing it slightly away from him. Making sure the person was balanced and could stand, he then turned on the lights and asked, “What do you want, Yuuki?”

 

Big brown eyes blinked for a moment, adjusting to the light. They then looked up and recognized the boy in front of her. “Zero!” she smiled. Her eyes closed with relief and she continued, “Wow, you figured out who I was pretty quickly! How’d you know?”

 

He remained silent for a moment, looking at her. “Who else comes here at this time, idiot?” he finally muttered, looking away. He didn’t mention, though, how he memorized her scent and could always, always, tell when she was nearby.

 

(He might have only been there for a while, but he could already tell she was _important_ )

 

Instead, he headed back into his plain room. Heading to his desk, he pulled out a chair and sat on it, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It had been a long night, filled with cold winds and _brother, don’t leave me!_

 

Yuuki, watching him sit down, took the silent invitation and slowly followed him in, closing the door behind her. Glancing around the room, she gave another small smile. It hadn’t changed much since the last time she visited. Still empty with only a bed, a desk, a chair, and a few racks for clothes.

 

Still Zero-like.

 

“Why are you here?” his low voice repeated, breaking the silence.

 

“Well…” she looked down nervously. “I’m here for a…” she paused. There’s no way she could tell him the _real_ reason. “I’m here for a…visit!”

 

“At one in the morning?” he raised an eyebrow.

 

“…well, you might be lonely! And we haven’t seen each other in a while!”

 

“…Yuuki, stop lying.”

 

“What? How could you think _I’d_ lie to you?”

 

“Yuuki,” his voice warned.

 

“I…”

 

He sighed as he noticed her hesitation. “What do you want?”

 

“Eh?” she stared at him in surprise. He wasn’t going to ask her? _Wow…Zero’s really nice_ , she thought.

 

Nice enough that’d she’ll tell him why.

 

“I had a nightmare,” she admitted quietly, flushing lightly as he frowned. “It was really scary, though! With all sorts of horrible things and…” her voice trailed off and she shivered.

 

“Can I spend the night?”

 

Zero’s eyes widened. He was expecting a lot of things, but certainly not this. “N—”

 

“I won’t be any trouble,” Yuuki interrupted, realizing he was about to refuse her. “Please,” she pleaded. “Just one night?”

 

His eyes darkened and Yuuki knew that he was about to kick her out of his room. She scrunched up her shoulders, feeling defeated.

 

“…get into the bed,” was all he said before he turned his head away. Ignoring her, he crossed his arms on his desk and rested his head there. “Turn off the lights before you sleep.”

 

She gave him a bright smile and a warm, “Thank you!” before turning off the lights and jumping into his bed. Then, snuggling into the bed, she pulled the comforter over her head.

 

Zero’s bed was warm.

 

-x-

 

A soft rap on the wooden door and a small “Zero?” was all he needed to hear before he got out of his bed. Turning on the lights, he opened the door and let her in.

 

“What is it tonight?” he asked, sitting down on his chair again. Yuuki looked uncharacteristically nervous, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt as she looked around the room. She gave him a weak smile and was about to reply when a booming sound was heard.

 

She jumped slightly as he looked out the window crossly. He turned back to her and was surprised to see her shivering a little. Putting two and two together (he was smart, after all), he gave a small smirk.

 

“Afraid of thunder?”

 

“N-no!” she stuttered as the crack of thunder was heard again. He raised an eyebrow at her.

 

“…fine…Zero always knows everything…” Yuuki sighed, before asking, “Can I sleep here tonight?”

 

He frowned a little. She’d been appearing in his room in the middle of the night a lot since that day, even though a year had passed. So often that the scent of her lingered on his bed long after she was gone.

 

They both remained silent for a moment, before Yuuki broke the silence and repeated her request.

 

“…” he sighed. He couldn’t refuse her now. He muttered a low, “You owe me” before nodding.

 

“Thanks!” she made a gleeful sound as she crawled into his bed. Curling up under the comforters, she turned to face him. The sound of thunder was heard again, and she jumped.

 

“Zero?”

 

He remained in his position, his head in his arms again, but he made a small noise to show he was listening.

 

“Can you…” she hesitated. Zero would mock her tomorrow for this, she just knew it. It’d be better not to ask. The skies roared again, though, and she decided that she could live with the teasing.

 

At least, live with it a little.

 

“Can you…” her voice trailed off as she tried to find a way to ask.

 

“What is it?” he finally asked, tired of waiting.

 

“Can you sleep near me?” He lifted his head and turned to stare at her, causing her to flush. “I…I’d rather have a hand to grab or something…daddy would do it.”

 

“Then sleep with _him_.”

 

“He’s not here! And Zero needs company!” she pouted a bit, hoping to win her way.

 

He just stared at her before turning around. Taking that as a no, the 9-year-old girl sighed. She brought the comforter up to her chin once more and curled up again, turning to face Zero.

 

Instead of seeing his figure on the chair, she saw silver strands in front of her. “Zero?” she squeaked, surprised.

 

Hearing his name, he turned to face her and said, “Go to sleep.” He then returned to his original position, which was him sitting on the floor and leaning on the bed. Closing his eyes, he relaxed slightly.

 

Yuuki’s eyes widened before softening. He was sleeping near her after all! “Thank you,” she whispered. One of her hands fell off the bed and grabbed his hand, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go.

 

Zero’s hand was soft.

 

-x-

 

Years go by in the same manner. Yuuki would appear at Zero’s door around midnight. She’d be scared or lonely or something, asking him if she could sleep.

 

It grew to the point where she didn’t even need to ask but did so anyways. He’d never refuse her—whether she realized it or not—and only grumbled about his lack of sleep out of habit.

 

It’s another one of those nights when she just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Zero was sleeping on his chair this time—she didn’t need his hand tonight—and she was slowly drifting off herself.

 

“Zero’s bed is comfy and surprising soft and warm and so is his hand,” she contemplates. She always thought that his bed would be hard, but she was wrong. “It’s really…nice…”

 

“Kind of like the owner.”

 

Yuuki smiled at that thought. Zero is definitely more than he lets on. These nights have reminded her time and time again that he’s a safe zone to her. Kaname-sama might be the one who made her heart go fast, but it was Zero who made her feel protected. His room was a place where she didn’t have to worry or be scared. Instead, it was a place where she could be comforted and feel secure.

 

It was a very…complete feeling she had as she lay there. A warm feeling.

 

And that night, as she slept, it wasn’t Kaname she dreamed of.


End file.
